Aging and Circadian Rhythms

Duffy, Jeanne F.; Zitting, Kirsi-Marja; Chinoy, Evan D.

doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2015.08.002

Cited by 278 publications

(182 citation statements)

References 169 publications

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“…In that same study, young adults randomised to scheduled evening sleep alone (without enhanced lighting during night shifts) showed a ∼1-hour earlier average shift in circadian timing 18. Thus, our current findings together with those prior findings suggest that (1) the circadian phase shifting effects of each treatment component are likely additive; (2) the enhanced lighting component may be more efficacious for producing circadian phase shifts compared with the scheduled evening sleep component; and (3) the enhanced lighting used in our treatment appears to be of sufficient intensity to overcome any age-related physiological changes or reductions in circadian sensitivity to light24 30–34 and therefore is able to shift circadian rhythm timing in young and older adults.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

“…Therefore, the treatment strategy tested in our study (a phase advance model) is preferred from the standpoint of interaction effects between sleep homeostasis and circadian rhythmicity. This is especially the case for older adults, who in general show greater tendency towards early sleep and circadian timing than young adults,20 23 24 32 and therefore may more easily shift their sleep and circadian timing to earlier hours. The chronotype of night workers has been reported to modulate disease risk,38 and matching shift schedule to chronotype improved sleep and well-being in a real world shift work intervention 6.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In general, older adults show lower sleep duration and continuity during night-time and daytime sleep episodes compared with young adults 20–22. Circadian rhythms of melatonin and core body temperature are less robust, and the timing of circadian rhythms and sleep are earlier in older versus young adults 20 23 24. These age-related physiological changes in sleep and circadian rhythms impair the ability of older adults to cope with shift work schedules, and may underlie the shorter sleep duration, greater sleep difficulties, worse on-shift alertness, more serious occupational accidents and injuries, and increased use of hypnotic medications reported in older shift workers 3 5 10 25–28…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scheduled evening sleep and enhanced lighting improve adaptation to night shift work in older adults

et al. 2016

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Objectives We tested whether a sleep and circadian-based treatment shown to improve circadian adaptation to night shifts and attenuate negative effects on alertness, performance, and sleep in young adults would also be effective in older adults. Methods We assessed subjective alertness, sustained attention (psychomotor vigilance task, PVT), sleep duration (actigraphy), and circadian timing (salivary dim-light melatonin onset, DLMO) in eighteen older adults (57.2±3.8 y; mean±SD) in a simulated shift work protocol. Four day shifts were followed by three night shifts in the laboratory. Participants slept at home and were randomized to either the Treatment Group (scheduled evening sleep and enhanced lighting during the latter half of night shifts), or Control Group (ad lib sleep and typical lighting during night shifts). Results Compared to day shifts, alertness and sustained attention declined on the first night shift in both groups, and was worse in the latter half of the night shifts. Alertness and attention improved on nights 2 and 3 for the Treatment Group but remained lower for the Control Group. Sleep duration in the Treatment Group remained similar to baseline (6–7 h) following night shifts, but was shorter (3–5 h) following night shifts in the Control Group. Treatment Group circadian timing advanced by 169.3±16.1 min (mean±SEM) but did not shift (−9.7±9.9 min) in the Control Group. Conclusions The combined treatment of scheduled evening sleep and enhanced lighting increased sleep duration and partially aligned circadian phase with sleep and work timing, resulting in improved night shift alertness and performance.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scheduled evening sleep and enhanced lighting improve adaptation to night shift work in older adults

et al. 2016

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“…Endogenous melatonin levels decrease with age [38,39], and this reduction is even more pronounced in patients with AD [38,40]. Further, the amplitude of melatonin secretion (i.e., the difference between peak and nadir values across a 24-h sampling period) is also reduced in AD patients [40].…”

Section: Why Might Melatonin Be Helpful For Sleep Disorders In Peoplementioning

confidence: 99%

Melatonin for Sleep Disorders in Patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases

Trotti

Karroum

2016

Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep

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In patients with neurodegenerative diseases, sleep disorders are common; they impair the quality of life for patients and caregivers and are associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Melatonin has circadian, hypnotic, and free radical-scavenging effects, and preclinical data suggest benefits of melatonin on neurodegeneration. However, randomized, controlled trials of melatonin in patients with neurodegenerative diseases have not shown strong effects. Trials in Alzheimer's patients demonstrate a lack of benefit on sleep quantity. Subjective measures of sleep quality are mixed, with possible symptomatic improvements seen only on some measures or at some time points. Benefits on cognition have not been observed across several studies. In Parkinson's patients, there may be minimal benefit on objective sleep measures, but a suggestion of subjective benefit in few, small studies. Effective treatments for the sleep disorders associated with neurodegenerative diseases are urgently needed, but current data are insufficient to establish melatonin as such a treatment.

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“…Disruptions in the circadian system are commonly associated with aging (Duffy et al 2015). Low amplitude, fragmented locomotor activity has been documented in humans (Czeisler et al 1992;Oosterman et al 2009), nonhuman primates (Zhdanova et al 2011), rodents (Farajnia et al 2012), and insects (Giebultowicz and Long 2015).…”

Section: Effects Of Aging and Disease On Neural Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Membrane Currents, Gene Expression, and Circadian Clocks

Allen

Nitabach

Colwell

2017

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol

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Neuronal circadian oscillators in the mammalian and Drosophila brain express a circadian clock comprised of interlocking gene transcription feedback loops. The genetic clock regulates the membrane electrical activity by poorly understood signaling pathways to generate a circadian pattern of action potential firing. During the day, Na þ channels contribute an excitatory drive for the spontaneous activity of circadian clock neurons. Multiple types of K þ channels regulate the action potential firing pattern and the nightly reduction in neuronal activity. The membrane electrical activity possibly signaling by changes in intracellular Ca 2þ and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) regulates the activity of the gene clock. A decline in the signaling pathways that link the gene clock and neural activity during aging and disease may weaken the circadian output and generate significant impacts on human health. N eurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) function as part of a central timing circuit that drives daily changes in our behavior and underlying physiology. A hallmark feature of SCN neurons is that they are electrically silent during the night, start firing action potentials near dawn, and then continue to generate action potentials with a slow and steady pace all day long. These rhythms in electrical activity are critical for the function of the circadian timing system. This article reviews what is known about the ionic and molecular mechanisms driving the rhythmic firing patterns in our body's clock. We raise the hypothesis that a decline in neural activity in the central clock may be a critical mechanism by which aging and disease may weaken the circadian output and contribute to a set of symptoms that impacts human health. THE IONIC MECHANISMS UNDERLYING NEURAL ACTIVITY RHYTHMSSCN neurons generate action potentials in the absence of synaptic drive, and can therefore be considered endogenously active neurons.

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Aging and Circadian Rhythms

Cited by 278 publications

References 169 publications

Scheduled evening sleep and enhanced lighting improve adaptation to night shift work in older adults

Scheduled evening sleep and enhanced lighting improve adaptation to night shift work in older adults

Melatonin for Sleep Disorders in Patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases

Membrane Currents, Gene Expression, and Circadian Clocks

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